Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Miaoli Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Miaoli

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $899 in Miaoli, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,651 in Miaoli, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,404 in Miaoli, rent included.

Medellin costs about 13% more than Miaoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Miaoli are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Miaoli 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.49 NT$110

71.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$25.88 NT$815

26.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.03 NT$159

40.95%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.84 NT$89.4

-39.79%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.11 NT$34.91

-0.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.69 NT$21.87

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.71 NT$53.8

-1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.59 NT$81.5

18.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$3.10 NT$97.5

-64.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.45 NT$45.62

-13.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.52 NT$79.5

-45.24%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.29 NT$72.0

-4.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.25 NT$291

-52.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.14 NT$256

-30.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$20.58 NT$648

-56.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.33 NT$105

-29.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.04 NT$32.70

1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.71 NT$85.3

-44.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$3.05 NT$96.0

-54.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$2.39 NT$75.4

-51.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.90 NT$59.8

-38.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$2.87 NT$90.4

-68.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.93 NT$29.19

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$6.46 NT$204

-64.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$11.19 NT$352

-4.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.85 NT$58.4

-35.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.37 NT$74.5

4.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.87 NT$27.56

-1.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$39.63 NT$1,249

4.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$3.00 NT$94.4

-51.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.73 NT$22.86

168.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.25 NT$260

-6.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.07 NT$33.67

-11.21%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$36.6K NT$1.2M

-50.46%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$26.2K NT$824.3K

1.23%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$64.4 NT$2,029

27.72%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$28.45 NT$896

-66.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$18.94 NT$597

27.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$36.89 NT$1,162

-29.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$15.01 NT$473

26.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$10.21 NT$322

-61.51%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$309 COP 1.1M

$566 NT$17.8K

-45.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$30.4K NT$958.9K

-80.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$31.72 NT$999

84.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$23.77 NT$749

36.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$68.8 NT$2,167

49.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$103 NT$3,236

5.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$345 NT$10.9K

37.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$168 NT$5,283

125.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,039 NT$32.7K

-19.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$730 NT$23.0K

-0.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$2,471 NT$77.9K

-79.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

571.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Miaoli: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $345 in Miaoli. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 383% higher in Miaoli, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Miaoli. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $314 in Miaoli – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Miaoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,349 in Miaoli. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Miaoli, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $26.00 in Miaoli. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $899 in Miaoli. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Miaoli, where all-in costs run around $899, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Miaoli it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Miaoli – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Miaoli. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.